


Otto Tries Some Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms.

by were_just_the_noise_boys



Series: Never Bloom Again offshoot ficlets [5]
Category: Waterparks (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Geoff Wigington Is A Good Boyfriend, Hurt Otto Wood, M/M, Multi, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24534844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/were_just_the_noise_boys/pseuds/were_just_the_noise_boys
Summary: Awsten inadvertantly gives Otto some bad ideas before they even meet.Companion ficlet to Never Bloom Again
Relationships: Awsten Knight/Geoff Wigington/Otto Wood, Geoff Wigington/Otto Wood
Series: Never Bloom Again offshoot ficlets [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1773145
Kudos: 10





	Otto Tries Some Maladaptive Coping Mechanisms.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been asked to post the oneshots that I post to NBA's tumblr blog (@neverbloomagain-fic) on ao3.
> 
> I'm going to post some of the longer and/or better ones into this series. If you're here and haven't read Never Bloom Again, these are going to make varying amounts of no sense to you. But if you want to stick around, you're welcome to.
> 
> Enjoy

Otto hadn’t even finished bandaging his calf up before his phone rang. The sudden noise made him flinch, and when he saw the caller ID, he almost didn’t pick up. Geoff knew that he hated phone calls, and only really called him when it was an emergency. And if Geoff was calling about what Otto thought he was, he would definitely classify it as an emergency.

“Otto, what did you do?” The words were out of Geoff’s mouth before Otto even had time to greet him. He felt his chin quiver. 

“It was a mistake, I’m sorry,” he whispered, shame welling up in his throat. He blinked hard against the tears prickling in the backs of his eyes. 

“I’m coming over,” Geoff said, tone leaving no room for argument. “You gonna be safe until I get there?” Otto nodded before remembering that Geoff couldn’t see him. 

“Yeah, I can be safe,” he said quietly, trying not to let the other hear the tightness in his throat. He’d already worried his boyfriend enough. 

“Promise?” Geoff asked, seemingly hesitant to hang up the phone. It was unsettling to Otto that he couldn’t really pinpoint the emotion that Geoff’s voice was conveying. He didn’t sound angry (thank god), but he didn’t sound NOT angry, either. And sadness wasn’t the right word. It was worried and…. something else. 

“Promise,” Otto confirmed. Geoff hesitated a moment, gauging his sincerity, before replying. 

“Okay. I’ll be there in five. Love you.” 

“Love you t-” The line went dead before Otto could finish his reciprocation. He sank slowly down to the bathroom floor, abandoning the idea of fixing himself up. Geoff would just insist on redoing it when he got here, anyways. Intead, he contemplated their conversation. Geoff had said that he’d be here in five minutes, but lived a ten minute drive away from him. Which meant that either he’d already been on his way when they were talking, or he was planning on breaking some traffic laws to get to him. Honestly, Otto wouldn’t put either of those things past a worried Geoff. Sure enough, it was only a few minutes later that he heard him coming in the front door, slamming it a little too loud in his haste to get to his boyfriend. 

“Otto?” he called out worriedly, already halfway up the stairs. He hadn’t taken his shoes off, and Otto hoped that he wasn’t tracking dirt into the house. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, babe,” he responded wearily. Suddenly hyperaware of what he’d done, Otto quickly tugged down his pant leg in shame. It was a futile gesture; Geoff already knew what had happened and was going to ask to see, but it made him feel a bit better. 

“No, you’re not.” Geoff’s voice was quieter this time, coming from the open doorway. Otto looked up, meeting his eyes. He didn’t respond. “Show me what happened, baby,” Geoff pressured gently, crossing the room in a few steps and crouching down next to Otto, kissing him on the forehead. He shook his head, burying his head in his knees. Objectively, he knew that it wasn’t that bad, and that, even if it was, Geoff would KNOW because it was on his body, too, but objective Otto wasn’t really home at that particular moment. He was just embarrassed and scared and regretted even breaking the razor in the first place. 

“I can’t,” he whispered into his knees.

“Why not?” Geoff was being far gentler with him than he deserved. He should be mad, he should be yelling. Why wasn’t he mad?

“I don’t know,” Otto said helplessly, fighting down a dry sob. “I just can’t.”

“Otto, I’m not mad at you,” Geoff stated, reading Otto’s mind. “I’m just worried. It was scary for me, feeling you hurt yourself. I just want to make sure you’re alright.” Otto stayed frozen for another few moments, internal battle raging, before slowly lifting his head, extending his leg, and tugging up the fabric.

If Geoff was distressed or surprised at the appearance of the five long, (thankfully) shallow cuts criss crossing along his boyfriend’s calf, he didn’t show it. He just gave an appreciative hum and ever-so-carefully rotated Otto’s leg to get a better look. He gave his head another peck before standing up to retrieve the neosporin and bandages from where they still lay on the counter. 

“Otto, what happened?” Geoff murmured as he tore open a few bandages, setting them aside. 

“I… I don’t know,” Otto replied truthfully. “I felt okay and then I just… didn’t. And I KNEW that it was a stupid idea, but I guess I just figured that he’s GOTTA be onto SOMETHING, right?” Now that the words were flowing, Otto was having a difficult time controlling them. “I mean, he cuts himself so much, there must be a reason. And even if it’s not a good one, I just felt so damn sad and empty, and I just wanted it to go away. And the worst part is that it did! I did feel better, but then I realized what I’d done and I felt so much worse, but in a different way. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to do it, it just kind of happened and i’m really sorrypleasedon’tbemadatme” Geoff frowned and nodded sympathetically as he gently spread ointment over Otto’s wounds, but didn’t interrupt, just waited for him to finish.

“Well, I’m not mad, as I said,” he repeated when Otto’s words had finally exhausted themselves. “And I get that. We’re both diagnosed with Philodepravitory Depressive Disorder, ya’know? We’re just gonna get… moods like that until we find him.” He nodded in agreement “But Otto, you have to find a better outlet than this. I’m glad that it’s only happened once and that the wounds themselves aren’t that bad, but we’ve seen how this can progress.” Geoff paused, seemingly debating whether or not to finish his thought. “I think you should tell your moms,” he powered forward after a second. Otto’s head snapped up as he opened his mouth to argue, but Geoff held up a placating hand. “Listen to me. I think that you should tell your moms as much as you can, and ask them if you can go back to therapy. I know that they just want to help you.” Otto’s mouth worked open and shut a few more times.

“Geoff, if I told them that I cut myself they’d babyproof the whole house!” he protested forcefully. “And I don’t need to go back to therapy, I’m okay now.” Geoff gave him a skeptical look as he placed the last bandage and started gathering up the trash. 

“Otto, you’re doing so much better than you were, and I’m so proud of you. But you’re still clearly not ‘okay.’ People who are okay don’t feel the need to do this to themselves,” Geoff said softly, discarding the wrappers into the small bin. Otto slumped in on himself, too exhausted to think up an argument to Geoff’s obviously logical statement. Sensing his distress, Geoff swiftly jumped back in. “But we can talk about all of that in the morning. Are your moms going to be back home tonight?” Otto shook his head minisculely. “Okay. How about we have some hot chocolate then, yeah?” Geoff stood up and extended his hand down to assist Otto. He looked up at him, teary eyed, but a small smile playing over his lips at the thought of hot chocolate. 

“Okay,” he said quietly, taking his boyfriend’s outstretched hand. “I love you. Thank you,” he added.

“It’s nothing. I love you too.” And with that, the two left the incident behind them for another time.

**Author's Note:**

> please leave a comment!


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